Jayden Daniels is once again out in Week 15 after reaggravating the elbow injury in his first game back. This was incredibly frustrating for everyone associated with the Washington Commanders, as a season that had promised much quickly descended into chaos.
The Commanders will be relying on veteran backup Marcus Mariota to lead the charge at MetLife Stadium. He's had a lot of experience in the starting role this season, and Washington's staff trusts him fully. But before he looks too far ahead, the signal-caller reminded fans what they've seemingly forgotten about their franchise player.
Mariota offered some sound advice to Daniels and to the frustrated fan base. And they would be wise to take it on board.
Marcus Mariota confident Jayden Daniels' adversity can help him become even stronger
Not everything will be easy all the time. Sometimes, getting the chance to fight through adversity can be a good thing. And the former Oregon standout believes this is going to provide the platform for the No. 2 pick in 2024 to have a phenomenal career from here on.
"I think it's not always going to be clean. Not everything's going to be nice and smooth sailing. And I think for him to be able to go through some of this, to go through this adversity, it's really going to set himself up for his future and his career. And the more that we can continue to engage him and making sure that he's feeling like he's a part of it is also very important."Marcus Mariota via Commanders.com
We live in an instant gratification world. Fans are letting their frustrations be known, which is their right. The Commanders were projected to go deep into the postseason, but they're 3-10 and have lost eight straight contests. The finger-pointing began long ago, but Mariota is confident that these turbulent times can make Daniels and the entire franchise come back stronger.
Whether Mariota will be around beyond 2025 is anyone's guess. The Commanders would obviously love to have him back as their backup. But he's playing well enough to potentially get the chance to start somewhere else when free agency rolls around. It could legitimately go either way.
That's for the future. For now, the Commanders will look to salvage something from the campaign over their final four games. And depending on what happens with Daniels, the club could be relying on Mariota the rest of the way.
Don't underestimate Mariota's influence away from the field, either. He's overcome plenty of torrid times throughout his career. That support and advice will be invaluable to Daniels long after the veteran has left the organization.
Hopefully, Mariota's calming projection will come true. Washington's future depends on it.